'Cricket' is just the ticket for Kings Highway School reading initiative

Published 3:22 pm, Tuesday, January 14, 2014

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Kings Highway School staff costumed for a skit based on "The Cricket in Times Square," are from left, Michael Quiricone (Mario), Linda Johnson (Tucker), Shannon Bolcer( Papa), Sara Guterman (Mama) and Susie Da Silva (Harry). less

Kings Highway School staff costumed for a skit based on "The Cricket in Times Square," are from left, Michael Quiricone (Mario), Linda Johnson (Tucker), Shannon Bolcer( Papa), Sara Guterman (Mama) and Susie Da ... more

Photo: Contributed Photo

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Kings Highway School students assembled to hear announcement of the "One School, One Book" selection -- "The Cricket in Times Square" -- for schoolwide reading activities.

Kings Highway School students assembled to hear announcement of the "One School, One Book" selection -- "The Cricket in Times Square" -- for schoolwide reading activities.

Photo: Contributed Photo

'Cricket' is just the ticket for Kings Highway School reading initiative

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Students at Kings Highway School are participating in the school's first "One School, One Book" program.

Before the initiative was launched Monday, the title of the designated book was kept secret.

To arouse interest and build anticipation in the school-wide program, four clues were provided last week in school, she said.

Monday, at an all-school assembly, students learned that they will be reading George Selden's "The Cricket in Times Square."

After the announcement, staff members performed a short scene from the story to introduce the setting and some of its main characters.

"The hope is to create a shared reading experience within our community," said Tracey Carbone, one of the school's literacy specialists. "It is like forming a great big book club."

In addition to every family in the elementary school, every person who works at Kings Highway, including administrators, teachers, support staff and building custodians, will receive a copy of the same book.

Every family is encouraged to read the book at home together, according to a month-long schedule, and the school simultaneously plans activities and discussions related to the book.

One project includes a school bulletin board created to show students reading.

Another is "celebrity" staffers reading chapters aloud that students can access from home.

"This aligns nicely with the school's focus on reading aloud this year," said Carbone. "Literacy teachers had started the year with a school blog promoting read aloud at home and touting its benefits, even with older children."

The title was selected because the book is one that can be enjoyed by younger students, but still hold the attention of older children, she added.